The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*

The Official F1 2019 silly season *contains speculation*

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Discussion

Dr Z

3,396 posts

170 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Vaud said:
HustleRussell said:
<snip>
I am optimistic that they are at the beginning of something. The technical direction of the team indicated that they are no longer content to build a basic, slippery car which will go well in Italy and Canada by virtue of Mercedes engine advantage. I think they fully intend to go racing.
I'd like to agree, I'm just worried that they built a car that was slower than last years, not even "no gain"...
I don't think they've built a bad car, tbh. It was carrying good speed in the quick corners in China, although the top speed in quali doesn't look as impressive as some other Merc runners...they seem to have some issues with cooling, and understanding the tyres.

If they can understand the package, they have potential to be in Q3 more regularly, I think. The relative inexperience of the drivers can't help at this time, but I suppose the drivers are a real barometer of where the car is, rather than masking the issues.

super7

1,922 posts

207 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Yeah but they need at least one experienced driver who knows how to setup a car. e.g. Massa last year.

It's all well and good changing your design philosophy but if the two people in the cars can't communicate back with a level of experience of what's good and what's bad then they can be blindly led down the garden path...

Stroll goes on about how many points he scored last year..... most of those were from the fluke 2nd place at Azerbaijan lst year, where if Massa hadn't of broken down he'd have probably won it.

I know you have to finsh the race to get the points but Stroll lucked that one!

So Stroll out next year, maybe even sooner, with Kubiza being planted in maybe for a race or two to validate the direction the car's development is going in.

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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super7 said:
Stroll out next year
Stroll is far more likely to dump Williams than the other way around, but I think he’s going to see out his contract.

ghost83

5,476 posts

189 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Anyone toyed with the idea that Lewis might join Ferrari with vettel which might put ricciardo at merc and possibly Alonso as well

Edited by ghost83 on Friday 27th April 13:38

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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ghost83 said:
Anyone toyed with the idea that Lewis might join Ferrari with vettel which might put ricciardo at merc and possibly Alonso as well

Edited by ghost83 on Friday 27th April 13:38
No chance with any of that.

Vaud

Original Poster:

50,289 posts

154 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
ghost83 said:
Anyone toyed with the idea that Lewis might join Ferrari with vettel which might put ricciardo at merc and possibly Alonso as well
I have it on very good authority that they do not want the challenge that they had in managing two high performing drivers and personalities as they had HAM-ROS. So no RIC-ALO...

Mr Pointy

11,147 posts

158 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Vaud said:
I have it on very good authority that they do not want the challenge that they had in managing two high performing drivers and personalities as they had HAM-ROS. So no RIC-ALO...
Would that include not wanting Hamilton & Ricciardo?

Vaud

Original Poster:

50,289 posts

154 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Mr Pointy said:
Would that include not wanting Hamilton & Ricciardo?
When I spoke with the source that wasn't on the radar. Just no HAM-VET, HAM-ALO.

KevinCamaroSS

11,555 posts

279 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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ash73 said:
Basically not Lewis and anyone who can beat him.
Having a laugh are you? Or maybe not into history? Certainly as regards Alonso, would be interesting to see DR vs LH though. Not going to happen, DR will be looking for number 1 status.

HTP99

22,443 posts

139 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
ash73 said:
Vaud said:
When I spoke with the source that wasn't on the radar. Just no HAM-VET, HAM-ALO.
Basically not Lewis and anyone who can beat him.
roflroflroflrofl

ghost83

5,476 posts

189 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
I don’t know because when it was rosberg and Hamilton Mercedes were always in the media and I remember toto saying any publicity is good publicity and they had a great inter team battle I wouldn’t be suprised if they need to partner Lewis with someone who is a challenge otherwise he just gets bored

rubystone

11,252 posts

258 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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super7 said:
Need to remember that Williams is listed in the German Stock Exchange and as such are entirely responsible to it's Shareholders. So a sale of Williams to anyone is a bit more tricky. I suppose the holding company could spin of the race team and keep hold of the engineering side but that would remove a very large part of the listed company.

At some point Williams need to decide that they need to put decent drivers in their cars. Not just look at how much they bring to the team. I reckon there's a lot of russian money in SMP waiting to come in, so Stroll is not as safe as he has been, even with daddys millions (curious how Tommy Hillfigure sponsor Mercedes!)
The family own the majority of shares. Didn’t Stroll exit Hilfiger et al some years ago?

DanielSan

18,747 posts

166 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
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http://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/11365412/sp...

Fred not making any decisions until after the summer break.

I’m still going for the while prediction of an Andretti/Mclaren Indy entry and him buggering off to do that. Especially if he manages the LM24 win in a few weeks time.

suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
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^^I think you're right. If he wins LeMans the chance of him staying in F1 are near zero. Box ticked - off to the next one.

DanielSan

18,747 posts

166 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
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suffolk009 said:
^^I think you're right. If he wins LeMans the chance of him staying in F1 are near zero. Box ticked - off to the next one.
After Indy alone the Americans hold him in high regard now, and as it turns out LM is massively more popular in the US than most think it’d be. If he was to win Le Mans after his Indy performance last year it’d be insane for Mclaren not to use Alonso to get their brand into the US market more and more.

thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
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What engines would a potential McLaren Indycar team use?

DanielSan

18,747 posts

166 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
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thegreenhell said:
What engines would a potential McLaren Indycar team use?
If they went with Andretti then likely Honda. It’s a different relationship to the F1 Honda deal though, if it’s like Indy it’d be nothing more than a branded Andretti car anyway.

I have literally no reason for my prediction past it’d be good to see don’t get me wrong.

thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th May 2018
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DanielSan said:
thegreenhell said:
What engines would a potential McLaren Indycar team use?
If they went with Andretti then likely Honda. It’s a different relationship to the F1 Honda deal though, if it’s like Indy it’d be nothing more than a branded Andretti car anyway.

I have literally no reason for my prediction past it’d be good to see don’t get me wrong.
Don't forget also that Alonso is now a Toyota driver in WEC until at least the middle of next year, which may further dissuade Honda from supporting such a venture.

Vaud

Original Poster:

50,289 posts

154 months

Wednesday 16th May 2018
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Maybe Alonso has nothing to do with their plan, just brand expansion into a key market for McLaren?

DanielSan

18,747 posts

166 months

Wednesday 16th May 2018
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Can’t see Honda having any say in the support in Indycar anyway, it’s like a manufacturer supply in the same way it was with Mclaren. That’d be like Chevrolet having an issue with Alonso driving the Mclaren car because they supplied the engine in the Indycar he drove last year, wouldn’t happen.